Harry dashed up the stairs like the hounds of hell themselves were after him - far faster than he'd ever managed with Dudley on his tail.
"Hagrid - what's going on?" Harry panted, shutting the door.
"Why - whatdaya mean, Harry?" the large man asked kindly.
"Why does the innkeep recognize me? Why does he know my name? I've never seen him before in my life!" Harry Potter had had quite a number of interesting thoughts on the matter - but none of them would actually explain the situation to his satisfaction.
"Why, Harry - you're famous!" Hagrid said with a great big smile that Harry Potter immediately wanted to punch. Not that punching a lunk that big would actually do any good.
Instead, Harry deadpanned, "Famous." And then he looked at Hagrid with full on fury in his eyes, "Famous for what?" His hands were fists at his sides, and he was seriously giving consideration to seeing if there was possibly someone else who could get him out of here. Wherever here was. Famous.
"When you were just a little tyke, this mean old wizard went after you and your parents, like he'd gone after quite a few others. Well, he killed your parents, sure enough - but somehow, someway, you managed to survive. An' he didn't!" Hagrid grinned, and Harry viciously suppressed the urge to punch the large man. It didn't seem to be his fault, after all, that he was just so slow at explaining.
"And... everyone knows about this?" Harry Potter asked, his hands shaking.
"Yeah, why you're the Boy Who Lived! Everyone knows your name, Harry. And you can't be missed, looking like the spitting image of James Potter himself!" Hagrid said.
"Hagrid." Harry Potter said gravely, "This is very important. Today, I need you to call me Dudley."
"But... why would you want to be named after your cousin?" Hagrid asked, clearly this was too much of a puzzle for him. "You've already got a name, and you outta be proud of it!"
"I don't want it. Not people staring. Not now. Not when I've only just got here." Harry Potter said, his voice echoing with both vehemence and a childlike innocence that Hagrid didn't know enough to understand was utterly foreign to the blackhaired boy. Harry was merely mimicking a bit of Dudley - something so he didn't seem so... adult. So... confident.
"Well, all right," Hagrid said with an easy grin, "But this won't work at school, mind. You'll be Harry Potter there, and no way around it."
Harry counted this as a severe point against the school, but wasn't about to say that to Hagrid. "Fair enough. Even if only for a day, I can just be."
The food arrived shortly, as Hagrid was busy opining on the teaching schedules given to students - he was rather of the opinion that like Potions, Care of Magic Creatures ought to have a double period. "What's Potions?" Harry asked, curious about what exactly the large man was on about.
"Potions is how to store magic, how to make elixirs that can save a life, or end it. It's got a fairly strict teacher, so mind you listen to what he says." Hagrid said firmly.
As the door swung shut, Hagrid turned to Harry and said, "Now that I can see you in good light, you really are the spittin' image of your da. I haven't seen you since you were a wee bairn, you've certainly grown up!"
"You... you've met my aunt and uncle before?" Harry Potter asked, willing back the instant question on why he had been left with his cold relatives. They weren't precisely cruel (well, Dudley was, but Dudley was a child, and thus deserved a few... allowances. Besides, he might grow out of it - perhaps quicker if Harry could score some caltrops for training purposes you understand), but they were neglectful, which was fairly different from negligence. They knew how to care for a child, they just didn't think Harry was anything more than a servant.
"Almost. Dumbledore sent me to give you to them, but when I knocked on their door, they didn't answer." Hagrid said.
"So, what did you do?"
"I left you there - had ta get back, there was lots to be done. But don't fear, I left you with a strong warmin' charm and a solid, good note." Hagrid smiled, and said, "Dumbledore said that I'd done well to get there and back in one piece."
"Who's - who's Dumbledore?"
"Only the greatest wizard you'll ever meet! He's the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and a great man. Good ta me too, took me in even though I don't have even a public degree. You should always listen and do as he tells you, as he has only your interests in mind. He's the Head Mugwump, too, and a bunch of other titles. I'd do anything for Dumbledore!" Hagrid said, as Harry mentally filed away fifteen new things to research.
Harry schooled his face, and resolved to stop asking so many questions. It was clear who Hagrid was: an Honest Liar. And, in many ways, those were the worst kind. They'd lie to you and not even know it - such a credulous fool. Anything that Hagrid said was not to be trusted. And, that went double for Dumbledore. Why had Dumbledore sent such a person to fetch his books? He didn't seem the smartest knife in the shed... nor one used to telling people like Harry's relatives about magic.
Harry dearly hoped that Aunt Petunia wouldn't hold Hagrid's incompetence against him. It wasn't Harry's fault they sent the stupid lunk.
[a/n: Harry's having a bit of fun trying to understand anything out of Hagrid. Unlike in the books, this Harry isn't nearly as trusting. Leave a review!]